Montmartre: disappearance on rue des Saules and rumours of a man in black

Unusual reports have been accumulating around rue des Saules in Montmartre for several weeks. Residents say they hear footsteps or whispers late at night. Several people also claim to have seen a man dressed in black near La Bonne Franquette.

Taken separately, these stories might amount to neighbourhood rumour. The recent disappearance of a cook from the inn has nevertheless given them new weight.

Marcel, an employee of La Bonne Franquette, has not been heard from for three days. His colleagues describe him as punctual and unaccustomed to leaving without warning. An investigation has been opened, and initial searches have failed to find him.

Accounts of the “man in black” remain vague: a tall, thin individual, seen mainly at night, who reportedly moves away when anyone tries to approach. There is currently no evidence linking him to the disappearance.

Additional patrols are due to be carried out in the area. Somewhere between genuine concern and Montmartre’s longstanding taste for strange stories, rue des Saules has found itself a new subject of conversation.